The Nameless Castle eBook

Instead of replying to the question, he turned on
his heel and strode from the room, leaving his visitor
standing in the middle of the floor. Herr Bernat
was perplexed; he did not know what to do next.
Was it not quite natural to ask the name of a man’s
wife when a legal contract was to be written?
His question, therefore, had not been an insult.

At last, as the count did not return, there was nothing
left for Herr Bernat to do but go to his room and
wait there for further developments. The contracts
would have to be renewed, else the count would have
to vacate the castle; and one could easily see that
a great deal of money had been expended in fitting
it up. The count had transformed the old hunting-seat,
which had been a filthy little nest, into a veritable
fairy castle. Yes, undoubtedly the contracts would
be renewed.

The vice-palatine was pacing the floor of his room
in his noiseless cloth socks, when he suddenly heard
the voices of his clerk and his servant outside the
door.

“Well, Janos, we are not going to dine here
to-day; from what I can learn, we are going to be
eaten ourselves.”

“What do you mean?”

“The groom told me his master was loading his
pistols to shoot some one. The count challenges
to a duel every one who inquires after the countess.”

The voices ceased. The vice-palatine opened wide
his eyes, and muttered:

“May the devil fly away with him! He wants
to fight a duel, does he? I am not afraid of
his pistols; I have one, too, and a sword into the
bargain. But it ’s a silly business altogether!
I am to fight about a woman I have n’t even
seen! And what will my wife say? I wish I
had n’t come into this crazy castle! I
wish I had n’t sealed a compact of fraternity
with the baroness! Why did not I leave this whole
installation business to the second vice-palatine?
If only I could think of an excuse to turn my back
on this lunatic asylum! But I am not going to
run away from a pistol. The Hungarian noble is
a born soldier. If only I had my pipe! A
man is only half a man without his pipe. A pipe
inspires one with ideas. Where, I wonder, is that
Audiat gadding?”

At this moment the clerk opened the door.

“Fetch our luggage, Audiat; we are going to
leave this damned lunatic asylum. The Herr Count
may see to it then how he renews his lease.”
Hereupon he kicked off the socks with such vigor that
the very castle shook. Then, grasping his sword
in his hand, he marched out of his room, and down
the staircase, to prove that he was not fleeing like
a coward, but was clearing his way by force.

When the clerk, who went to fetch the luggage, was
about to enter the groom’s apartment, the count
came toward him and said: